1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for carrying out remote control with respect to driving apparatuses such as automobiles and robots, and in particular, to a remote control system, which is suitable in the case where there is a need of simultaneously controlling a plurality of driving apparatuses at the same place.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of carrying out remote control with respect to a plurality of driving apparatuses at the same place using an infrared ray or radio wave, a signal from each transmitter provided correspondingly to these driving apparatuses interferes with each other; for this reason, a problem arises such that no accurate control is carried out. As technique for solving the above problem, a system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2625617 has been known. In the system, different identification data is set with respect to a plurality of transmitters, and the same identification data as the corresponding transmitter is set with respect to each receiver. A transmission data from each transmitter is composed of combining a data section equivalent to actual control information, a unit data section comprising a space section having a time length more than a transmission time of the data section, and a wait section having a time length more than the unit data section. In accordance with the identification data allocated to each transmitter, the combination of the unit data section and the wait section is changed. By doing so, it is possible to produce a state such that the data section transmitted from each transmitter does not overlap with each other.
The above remote control system does not carry out a control for synchronizing a transmission timing of data from each transmitter, and each transmitter transmits data according to a transmission pattern in response to the self-identification data. For this reason, when the number of transmitters increases, a frequency that the transmission timing of data from each transmitter overlaps with each other increases, while a probability that data is transmitted from only one transmitter decreases. As a result, a problem arises such that each driving apparatus is not smoothly controlled. In particular, in the case where it is required to continue to operate many driving apparatuses, the above confusion arises at a high probability.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control system, which can smoothly carry out remote control with respect to a plurality of driving apparatuses at the same place.
In order to solve the above problem and to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a remote control system, which independently operates a plurality of driving apparatuses by remote control using a plurality of transmitters prepared so as to correspond to the driving apparatuses. Each of the plurality of transmitters comprising: a data transmission device for transmitting data including identification information peculiar to each transmitter for identifying each transmitter and control information for controlling the driving apparatuses; a reception device for receiving data transmitted from other transmitters; a timing setup device for setting a self-data transmission timing based on the identification information included in the received data; and a transmission control device for making the data transmission device transmit the data according to the set timing. Each of the plurality of driving apparatuses comprising: a reception device for receiving transmission data from each transmitter; and a control device for comparing the identification information included in the received data with an allocated self identification information, and making a decision whether or not the received data is a data transmitted to the self, and further, carrying out an operation control based on the data when the data is transmitted to the self.
According to the remote control system of the present invention, each transmitter can receive data transmitted from other transmitters, so that the data transmission timing can be adjusted between transmitters. As a result, the transmission timing of data from each transmitter is set so as to be mutually shifted, and therefore, it is possible to prevent data interference. By doing so, even in the case where a plurality of transmitters is simultaneously used, it is possible to smoothly operate the driving apparatus corresponding to each transmitter by remote control.
In the present invention, various mobile elements such as vehicles, robots, and animal type toys and the like are included as the driving apparatuses. The present invention is applicable to the case where mutually different portions of single object are operated as mutually different driving apparatuses by remote control using a plurality of transmitters. In this case, the following transmitter is used; more specifically, a transmitter, which transmits a control signal or the like by using various transmission waves such as an infrared ray and a radio wave and the like, can be used as the transmitter of the present invention. An identification number can be used as the identification information allocated to the transmitter and the driving apparatus.
Further, the remote control system of the present invention may include the following preferred embodiments.
A period when each transmitter is allowed to transmit a data is predetermined so as not to overlap with each other in a predetermined cycle based on the identification information allocated to each transmitter, the timing setup device specifies, when receiving data transmitted from other transmitters, a time remaining until the self-data transmission timing comes in the cycle based on the identification information included in the receiving data, and the transmission control device makes the data transmission device start the data transmission when the specified time elapses.
By doing so, each transmitter can specify the self-data transmission timing when each transmitter should transmit the self data by referring to the data transmission from other transmitter. In addition, the data transmission of each transmitter is carried out every predetermined cycle; therefore, even if one transmitter interrupts data transmission on the midway, the remaining transmitter can transmit data for the period allocated to the self at the transmission timing allocated to the self.
The period when each transmitter is allowed to transmit the data in the predetermined cycle may be set to mutually equal time with respect to each transmitter. By doing so, the sequence of data transmission of each transmitter in the predetermined cycle is merely predetermined, and thereby, each transmitter can specify a period for transmitting the self-data. More specifically, if a time of the transmission period given to each transmitter is set as T, when data transmission is started from the transmitter having the first transmission sequence, the transmitter having the next transmission sequence starts data transmission after time T elapses, and further, the transmitter having the next transmission sequence starts data transmission after time 2T elapses. As described above, transmission start timing of one transmitter is found, and thereby, it is possible to readily specify transmission timing from transmission sequence and time allocated to each transmitter.
The timing setup device may set transmission timing of the data so that the self data transmission device repeats data transmission in the predetermined cycle in the case where it can not receive data from other transmitters. In this case, even in a state that data transmission from all transmitters excluding the self is stopped, it is possible to repeatedly transmit data from the transmitter itself at correct timing.
Each transmitter may include a hold device, which makes a decision whether or not the identification information included in the data transmitted from other transmitter is the same as the identification information set to the self, and holds, in the case where a decision is made such that both information are the same, a transmission timing setup by the timing setup device until receiving data including an identification information different from the self-identification information. In this case, it is possible to prevent interference in the case where identification information overlaps with each other between the plurality of transmitters.
Each transmitter may include a transmission data confirming device, which compares a data transmitted at the timing set by the timing setup device with a data received concurrently with the transmission, and makes the hold device carry out a procedure when both data are not correspondent. In this case, interference is detected as the result that data is simultaneously transmitted from other transmitters, and thereby, it is possible to adjust data transmission timing so that no interference is again generated.
Further, the present invention provides a transmitter for remote control system, which is prepared for each of driving apparatuses to independently operate the driving apparatuses by remote control, comprising: a data transmission device for transmitting data including identification information peculiar to the transmitter and control information for controlling the driving apparatus; a reception device for receiving data transmitted from other transmitters; a timing setup device for setting a self-data transmission timing based on the identification information included in the received data; and a transmission control device for making the data transmission device transmit the data according to the set timing.
The transmitter is prepared for each driving apparatus, and then, the same identification information is set to the paired driving apparatus and transmitter so that each driving apparatus is controlled based on the data including the same identification information, and thereby, the remote control system of the present invention is constructed.
The transmitter of the present invention may include various preferred embodiments in the above remote control system. More specifically, a period when the transmitter is allowed to transmit a data is predetermined in a predetermined cycle based on the identification information, the timing setup device specifies, when receiving data transmitted from other transmitters, a time remaining until the self-data transmission timing comes in the cycle based on the identification information included in the receiving data, and the transmission control device makes the data transmission device start the data transmission when the specified time elapses. Further, the period when the transmitter is allowed to transmit the data in the predetermined cycle may be set to a time equal to time transmitting data with respect to other transmitters. Furthermore, the timing setup device may set transmission timing of the data so that the self data transmission device repeats data transmission in the predetermined cycle in the case where it cannot receive data from other transmitters. The transmitter may further include a hold device, which makes a decision whether or not the identification information included in the data transmitted from other transmitter is the same as the identification information set to the self, and holds, in the case where a decision is made such that both information are the same, a transmission timing setup by the timing setup device until receiving data including an identification information different from the self-identification information. The transmitter may further include a transmission data confirming device, which compares a data transmitted at the timing set by the timing setup device with a data received concurrently with the transmission, and makes the hold device carry out a procedure when both data are not correspondent.
Further, the present invention provides a remote control system program used for a transmitter, which includes a data transmission device for transmitting data including identification information peculiar to the transmitter and control information for controlling the driving apparatus, a reception device for receiving data transmitted from other transmitters, and a computer for controlling data transmission based on the received data, and which is prepared for each of driving apparatuses to independently operate the driving apparatuses by remote control, the program being constructed to allow the computer to serve as: a timing setup device for setting a self-data transmission timing based on the identification information included in the data received by the reception device; and a transmission control device for making the data transmission device transmit the data according to the set timing.
The computer of the transmitter reads and executes the program, and thereby, the transmitter of the present invention is constructed.
The program of the present invention may include various preferred embodiments in the above remote control system. More specifically, a period when the transmitter is allowed to transmit a data is predetermined in a predetermined cycle based on the identification information, the timing setup device specifies, when receiving data transmitted from other transmitters, a time remaining until the self-data transmission timing comes in the cycle based on the identification information included in the receiving data, and the transmission control device makes the data transmission device start the data transmission when the specified time elapses. Further, the period when the transmitter is allowed to transmit the data in the predetermined cycle may set to a time equal to time transmitting data with respect to other transmitters. Furthermore, the timing setup device may set transmission timing of the data so that the self data transmission device repeats data transmission in the predetermined cycle in the case where it can not receive data from other transmitters. The program may being constructed to allow the computer to serve further as a hold device, which makes a decision whether or not the identification information included in the data transmitted from other transmitter is the same as the identification information set to the self, and holds, in the case where a decision is made such that both information are the same, a transmission timing setup by the timing setup device until receiving data including an identification information different from the self-identification information. The program may being constructed to allow the computer to serve further as a transmission data confirming device, which compares a data transmitted at the timing set by the timing setup device with a data received concurrently with the transmission, and makes the hold device carry out a procedure when both data are not correspondent.
Further, the program of the present invention may be provided through a computer readable storage medium.